


Mine Would Be You

by ChelleLeigh1917



Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cheating, F/M, Modern AU, Reconciliation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-10-21
Updated: 2014-02-02
Packaged: 2017-12-30 01:07:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1012199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChelleLeigh1917/pseuds/ChelleLeigh1917
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Modern A/U. Richard and Anne are a young divorced couple.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What's the One Regret You Can't Work Through?

Anne buttoned her coat, and pulled the scarf around her neck against the winter wind. She was silent as she walked across the cemetary to the grave, the much too small grave of her son. After closing her eyes for a moment, she knelt on the cold ground, and traced her finger along her boy's name. Edward York. He'd been only five when he died. Much too young to die. The cancer had been swift, and shocking. And the grief...it had torn them apart. Three years, her little Ned had been gone for three years, and she felt like her life had imploded. 

She heard the footsteps fall behind her. She didn't even have to turn around to know it was Richard. Who else would be here, on today of all days? She closed her eyes again. She wished seeing him was not so painful. But honestly it tore at her heart each time she saw him. To say she'd been shocked when he cheated would have been an understatement. That her steadfast and loyal husband would cheat had been mindblowing. It still was. Their divorce had been finalized well over a year earlier, and she tried to act like she was over it. She certainly did not show her pain to Richard, nor would she. She opened her eyes, just as he reached where she was kneeling. 

"Anne." Richard said softly. 

Taking a deep breath first, she stood and turned to face him. "Richard." She said softly. She met his eyes, and could see her own grief over their boy reflected in his eyes. 

He smiled just a bit. "I thought I would find you here today." 

She nodded. "Of course." She said softly. "Ned would have turned eight today."

"Yes." Richard said softly. He knelt down and placed his bouquet of flowers next to Anne's. 

Anne watched him for a moment. "Do you want..."

"No." Richard said immediately. "Don't go." 

After a moment's hestitation, she nodded. "Very well." She said softly. 

After a few minutes, Richard stood. "Actually, if you have the time, there are few things I would like to speak with you about." 

Anne looked up at him. "I have the time." She said softly. She'd actually cancelled her classes for the day, just as she always did on Ned's birthday. 

"Is there somewhere that we could talk privately?" He asked. 

She thought for a moment. "There's the house." She said softly. 

He nodded. "If you are fine with that." 

Anne looked up at him. "I am." 

Richard motioned with his arm. "Then lead the way." He said softly. 

Both were quiet as they walked back to their respective cars, until Richard broke the silence. "You've remembered the wear a scarf." He said softly. 

Anne laughed softly. "Yes, well..." When they'd been married she'd often taken his, or he would wrap it around her neck. 

Richard gently took her arm for a moment. "You've never truly gotten used to the dampness." Anne was the daughter of an English mother and an American father, and had grown up in Virginia. 

Anne laughed softly. "You're right, I've not." 

Richard nodded as she opened the door of her car. "I'll meet you at the house." He said softly. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne arrived home just a little ahead of Richard and was standing in the doorway, looking through her mail when he arrived. There had been a card from her parents, but she would open that later. She sat the mail on the table, and opened the door as she heard Richard in the driveway. "Come in." She said softly, opening the door to him. 

Richard looked around the foyer as he stepped inside. She'd changed little since he'd been gone. He noticed several pictures of Ned, and as he looked closer, Richard realized Anne had cut him from the pictures. 

Honestly, he could not believe how the grief had destroyed them. They had been working through Anne's fertility problems, and had been talking about procedures to have another child, then Ned had grown ill, and was gone so quickly. 

"Would you like tea?" Anne asked from the kitchen doorway. 

He turned to her, and smiled. "If you mean a cuppa Earl Grey, then yes, but if you mean that iced montrosity you drink, then..." 

Anne couldn't help but laugh at that. "Earl Grey, it is." She smiled. She went to put the tea pot on. 

Richard walked into the sitting room, and looked around. He almost laughed as he saw how the room was filled with Anne's books and papers. Of course, she'd always preferred this room to her home office. Anne had come to England to study Richard III and the Wars of the Roses, and with the discovery of personal letters of both Richard III and his wife Anne Neville was starting to make quite a name for herself as a historian. 

"Sorry for the mess." Anne said from the doorway. 

Richard turned to face her and smiled. "Please, you think I expected anything else?" 

She laughed softly. "You should not have." She said softly. "Why did you want to talk privately?" She already suspected what it was. He was going to marry her, Elizabeth, the woman he'd cheated with. 

"Elizabeth and I we've broken up." He said softly. 

"You've....broken up?" She asked. 

"Yes." He nodded. "We have." 

"Well, I'm...." She couldn't say she was sorry. She wasn't, and Richard would know she was lying. 

Richard stood and walked over to her. "Anne, the truth is..." He took a deep breath. He knew he had no right to want her back, but honestly he was not the same without her, and he knew it. 

She looked up at him. "What Richard?" 

"I have so many regrets, hurting you, destroying us." He said softly. "The truth is, I want another chance, I want us back." 

Anne stared at him, the shock clearly readable on her face. "You want us back?" She said softly. 

"Yes." He said simply. "And I will do whatever it takes." He promised.


	2. And I wonder if I ever cross your mind?

Richard sighed, shutting off his laptop, and packing it away to go home for the day. He'd been working late, had been working late for weeks. After all, he lived the life of a bachelor now, what need was there to go home early? Anne had told him she needed time, needed time to decide if there was still a chance for them. He'd promised to give her all the time she needed. But nearly a fortnight had passed, and he found himself wondering more and more what she would decide. 

He had to admit he was a fool, a damn fool. Looking back, he could not fathom how he'd fallen for Elizabeth, but he had. She had flattered him, paid attention to him, seemed to care. All of the things Anne had been incapable of doing at that time. 

He did not blame Anne for any of it, no he was the one who had been at fault. When Ned died, it was as if their marriage, their lives had imploded. Both he and Anne had been too deep in their individual grief to be able to reach out to each other. And before they could reach out to each other, Richard had slept with another woman. Richard felt it was only now that things were starting to return to some semblance of normality. 

He wanted Anne back, there was no doubt in his mind that he would be able to win her back. Oh, he knew it would take time, much more time than it had to win her the first time. He knew that whatever price he would pay to win her back was worth it. She was worth everything to him. 

He took out his cell phone, and looked at it for a moment. Honestly, he was almost willing to ring, to buzz saying he had a text, to do something. He wanted to hear from Anne, just something. Part of him knew that even if she said no, he was not likely to give up. Somehow, they'd almost managed to keep a friendship since the divorce, and he wouldn't help but wonder if that could be built upon. 

Richard wondered if she thought about him as much as he thought about her lately. Was it even possible that she did? For him, it seems that all of his waking thought, away from work, were consumed by Anne. He remembered what it was like to be with her, what it was like to hold her in his arms. How much he missed that, missed her touch, her perfume, there was not a thing about her that he did not miss now. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne sighed softly, looking down at her phone. It had been nearly a fortnight since she'd spoken to Richard. Since, he'd shocked her by saying he wanted her back. Part of her had wanted to rush into his arms. She loved him, of that she had no doubt. She couldn't help but think life might have been easier the last two years or so if she'd been able to hate him. But no, he was Ned's father, and being Ned's parents was something that would always tie them together. 

Deep down though, she knew their connection was deeper than that. So much deeper. Although she'd never told him, she'd tried to date a little. Several of her friends in the history department had set her up on dates. And although she'd found the men easy to talk to, there was one problem each shared, they simply were not Richard. She did not wish to spend the rest of her life alone, so Anne had decided it was simply to soon after the divorce and losing Ned for her to date. 

She knew Richard, knew that even if she were to tell him no, she didn't want him back, that he would not give up. No, Richard was unlikely to ever give up on something he truly wanted. And now that something was her. 

Anne sighed softly, looking down at her wine glass and the manuscript in front of her. She took a sip of the wine. She knew she was starting to become a little tipsy. She closed her eyes for a moment. Life was too short, that was a lesson that Ned's death should have taught. But she wondered if it was a lesson she'd fully learned. Her research should also show her how short life could be. She picked up the manuscript, reading again the letter she'd been working on. The letter hadn been written by Anne Neville during the winter of 1471-1472 when she'd been in sanctuary waiting to marry Richard, and it was so full of hope and love that it was almost difficult to read. 

Anne took another sip of her wine. She'd long been aware of the parallels between her and Richard, and the historical Anne and Richard she'd thus far spent her professional life studying. Married young, she'd barely been 22 when she married Richard; one son who had died, an affair with a woman named Elizabeth, alleged for the historical Richard, but quite true for her Richard. If Anne had believed in reincarnation, the parallels would certainly have given her pause. 

She continued to sip her wine for several minutes, as she relaxed. Picking up her phone, she texted Richard. "Are you awake?" She sent. 

Almost immediately her phone buzzed with the response. Picking it up, she read. "Yes." 

"Could you come over?" She sent. Waiting a moment, she read his response. "Sure." 

Anne sat the phone down, she knew him well enough to know it would not be long until Richard was there. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne turned as she heard Richard's key in the door. She'd let him keep a key in case anything happened to her, and of course he knew exactly where she kept the spare key. 

"Anne?" Richard said softly, as he walked in. 

She stepped out of the doorway to the living room. "Hi." She said softly. 

"Hi." He said softly. 

Anne stared at him for a moment, thinking of how much she'd missed him, how much she wanted to feel his arms around her, to feel him kissing her, touching her. She wanted him, that she could easily accept. She walked over, wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled him down for a kiss. 

Richard had to admit he was shocked by Anne's actions, but his arms wrapped her around her as they kissed. . He picked her up, pinning her against the closed door with his body as they kissed . His hands tangled in her hair, just as hers had tangled in his. 

Anne groaned very softly into the kiss. She rocked her body against his, and was rewarded with a gutteral moan from him. She found herself moaning as his lips started to travel along the column of her throat. 

Richard pulled back for a moment, and looked into her eyes for a moment. He could tell Anne desired him, and could only hope making love would be something neither would regret in the morning. Groaned softly, he lifted Anne up, as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Kissing her softly for a moment, then he turned and took her into the bedroom. Their bedroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize this chapter is short, but the next one will be longer. They will actually talk, which will make it longer. 
> 
> Please do not think that because they are making love that Anne is forgiving him, or making it easy for Richard to win her back. She's not. Given the bad dates, she's not exactly had sex in several years, so she was wanting him. Since Richard wants her back she decided to stop denying her own needs. Well the wine probably helped too. 
> 
> Anne is not going to end up pregnant from this encounter.


	3. Not really sure how to feel about it

Anne woke slowly the next morning to a sensation she'd not felt in some time. Richard's arms wrapped tightly around her. For a moment, she could almost imagine no time had passed at all. It could have been a Saturday morning a few years earlier, snuggled up in Richard's arms, talking softly, and waiting for the sounds which signaled Ned was awake and coming to join his mummy and daddy. They would have talked about the child they were certain they'd have soon, perhaps stolen a kiss here and there, and if they'd been awake early enough probably stolen more than a kiss. Those times had been pleasant, and in those moments Anne had been certain they'd last forever. 

Those days were long gone though. Their Ned was long since gone, the hope of another child buried with him. And they were divorced. Last night, had not been about reconciliation, and Anne was almost certain Richard realized that. Last night had been about nothing but physical needs, which had been most pleasurably satisfied. 

But in the cold light of morning, Anne was not certain how she felt. Did she regret it? No, that was the one thing she was certain of, she did not regret last night. She had needed that. Sighing softly, she untangled herself from Richard's arms, and went into the bathroom. 

Richard woke almost immediately when Anne got up. He watched as she went into the bathroom, sensing she needed a little time to herself, he did not move. He closed his eyes again, hoping she did not regret what had happened. He held no illusions that everything was fine with them, he knew it was not. But maybe, just maybe this was something which could be built upon. 

He opened his eyes as he heard the shower come on. Richard immediately realized Anne was upset, that was just about the only time she would take a shower. She much preferred to take a bath. There were many times that she would stay relaxing in water until it had turned cold. He never knew of a few times she'd refilled the tub with more warm water. That was something which had always amused him. Of course, the nights, when he had joined her had always been pleasurable. He pushed the covers back. He knew Anne would not want him to disturb her, but the least he could do was have coffee ready for her, and make breakfast. 

When Anne finally emerged from the bathroom, she couldn't say she was really surprised to find the bed empty. A part of her would have been to upset if Richard had slipped away while she was in the shower, but she knew he would not have. No Richard would not have left without talking, and that was a conversation she was not certain she was ready to have. 

She heard the tea kettle start to whistle, and realized Richard had not left. No, he was in the kitchen, and if she guess she'd say he was making breakfast. She sighed softly, shaking her head a bit, how quickly it seemed they'd slipped into a small portion of their old routines. She tied her robe tightly, and went out into the kitchen. 

Richard turned as he heard Anne's soft footsteps behind him. "Good morning." He said softly, turning to face her. He noticed immediately her eyes were red, and his suspicions that she'd cried in the shower were confirmed. 

"Good morning." Anne said softly. 

"Coffee?" He asked softly. 

"Thank you." Anne said softly. She sipped the coffee for a moment, surprised that he'd remembered exactly how she liked her coffee. 

Richard looked down for a moment, noticing how awkward everything seemed between them. "You need not worry, Anne." He murmured. "I realize last night has changed nothing between us." 

Anne looked up, holding the coffee mug in her hands. "You're right, it has not." She nodded. She was quiet for a moment, gathering her thoughts. "The truth is, I still do not know. Maybe that's not fair to you, but it's the truth." 

He nodded, after just a moment, he took a deep breath and spoke. "What do you need me to do?" 

Anne stared at him for a moment. "Continue giving me space." She knew she was the one who had invited him over, she was the one who had iniated the sex. She was the one who had not wanted space last night. No, she'd wanted him. 

"I will give you whatever you need." Richard murmured. He reached out and touched a bit of her hair behind her ear. Before Anne could respond, he sat down his tea and turned to leave. Anne let him go. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne almost wanted to laugh when the flowers started to appear. Every Thursday, like clockwork a bouquet of flowers would appear on her desk. There was never a card, but of course she knew they were from Richard. This was something which was just like him. She couldn't help but find the flowers beautiful. 

They had not been to see each other since that morning. Sometimes, Anne wanted that to change, other times she realized it was probably for the best. Although she was almost certain that she'd forgiven him, at least as much as she could. She no longer wished anything bad for him, she knew that. But the question for her was, could she forget? Anne was honestly not certain, she could fully forget. 

She stared at the flowers, she'd brought home that day, before picking up her phone. "Thank you for the flowers." She texted Richard. "They are beautiful." 

"You're welcome." He said back almost immediately. 

"Was wondering. Are you busy tomorrow?" 

"No." 

"Come over for breakfast?" 

"Come now or in the morning?" 

Anne could not help but laugh as she read his response. "Morning. We'll talk." 

"I'll bring breakfast. Those bagels you like." 

"See you then." Anne sent, and then sat her phone down. She doubted she was going to sleep much. She had a lot on her mind now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realize this chapter is short, but in the next chapter they will finally sit down and have a much needed, very difficult conversation.


	4. Love Alone is Worth the Fight

The moment Anne opened the door, Richard knew she had not slept at all. He was not surprised, it had been nothing unusual for him to wake up in the middle of the night, and her side of the bed empty. Usually he'd found her in the office, working on her research. Sometimes, she'd fallen asleep at her desk, and he would carry her back to bed. 

"You got caught up in your research last night and forget to sleep?" He smiled softly. 

Anne could not help but laugh. "No, more like I couldn't sleep, so I worked." She stepped aside to let him in. 

"Bagels." He held a bag up for her to see. 

She smiled. "You remembered the cinnamon ones?"

Richard nodded. "Yes, cinnamon for you, blueberry for me."

"Thank you." She said softly. "There's coffee, and tea for you."

"Thank you." He said as they sat down at the breakfast nook in the kitchen

Anne was quiet for several moments. "We need to talk." She said softly. "And none of this is going to be easy."

Richard looked into her eyes. "I never thought it would be. I am certain there are things you need to know." 

Anne nodded. "Yes, there are." 

"What are they?" He asked softly. 

Anne took a deep breath, and sipped her coffee for a moment. "Why? Why did you do it? Why did you sleep with her?"

Richard closed his eyes. "There's no good answer to that. Anne." 

"I don't want a good answer, Richard." She snapped. "I want the truth. Why did you fuck her?" 

Richard was quiet, staring down at the tea cup which was next to him. "You remember what we were like at that time?" He asked softly. 

"Yes." She nodded. 

"We couldn't talk, we couldn't communicate. You didn't want me." He said softly. 

"So because I was grieving for our son, you fucked someone else?" She asked, bitingly. 

"I made the decision to sleep with Elizabeth, the decision to be in a relationship with her. Nothing you did or didn't do caused that, it was all me, and me alone." 

Anne got up and walked to the other side of the kitchen. "Do you realize what you did to me?" She asked. 

"Anne...." Richard said softly. 

"My heart was broken from losing Ned, and you just...you shattered it." She whispered. 

Richard tightened his fist, in anger at himself for a moment before getting up. "If I could undo..."

"You can't." Anne whispered. "You can't undo it." 

"The rest of my life can be spent making it up to you." He said softly. 

Anne closed her eyes. "The funny thing is, I believe you would do that." She said softly. 

"I would." Richard said earnestly. 

When Anne opened her eyes, she found Richard kneeling in front of her. "Richard!" She found herself laughing. "For God's sake, get up!"

"I would gladly spend the rest of my life making this up to you, loving you." He took her hand and kissed it. Long ago, she'd told him she found hand kissing to be romantic. He remembered long afternoons spent lounging in bed, while she was pregnant with Ned and on bedrest, watching Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and North and South. He remembered occasionally dodging pillows she'd thrown at him when he'd made disparaging remarks about Mr. Darcy, Colonel Brandon, or Mr. Thornton.

"You're not fighting fair." She grumbled for a moment. 

"Anne." Richard said softly, as he stood. 

She looked up at him, and watched as he reached out and placed his hand over her heart. 

"I've been a fool." He said softly. "A damn fool, honestly." He leaned in and kissed her forehead. 

"Don't expect me to disagree." She said softly. 

"Of course not." He smiled. "The truth is, there's nothing I would treasure more than your heart." 

"I don't trust you, Richard...yet." She said softly. 

"That will take time to build again." He said softly. "You don't have to tell me that."

"You'll give me the time?" She asked softly. 

"All the time in the world." He said softly, kissing her hand again, and then turning to go. 

"What are you doing?" Anne asked. 

"You didn't sleep last night, you need to rest." He said softly. 

"Stay." She said softly. "We could watch a movie."

"You sure?" He asked softly. 

"Yes." She nodded. 

Richard held his hand out to her. "What would you like to watch?" 

Anne slipped her hand into his. "North and South." 

Richard laughed softly. "Should not have even asked." He murmured as they went back to the bedroom. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne again noticed how Richard was giving her space. He was letting her control everything, and in a way she was grateful for that. There had been a couple of nights when she'd gone over to his flat. It was such a stereotypical bachelor pad, all black leather, and modernity. She found the bed very comfortable though, very comfortable. She was not entirely certain how it had happened, but after the afternoon they'd spent together watching movies and napping, they'd fallen into a sexual relationship. They also had lunch a couple of times a week, dinner once a week. Their relationship was starting to improve greatly. 

It was a warm spring night, and they were sitting outside on the patio. Anne glanced over, watching Richard for a moment. He was being very quiet that night, she couldn't help but wonder if something was troubling him. She reached over, brushing her hand against his. 

He looked up and smiled at her. "Sorry, lost in thought. Perhaps, I am not the best company tonight." He said softly. 

"What is troubling you?" Anne asked softly. 

"Work." He grumbled. 

"Want to talk about it?" She asked softly. 

Richard shook his head. "No." He said softly. "I have an idea though." He stood holding his hand out to Anne. "Dance with me?" He asked softly. 

Anne laughed softly, placing her hand into his. "We have no music." 

"Then we'll improvise." Richard said softly, pulling her close and starting to hum softly. 

Anne sighed softly, as they danced. She was finding it to be very relaxing. She looked up at him for a moment, before moving to her tip-toes and gently kissing him. She sighed softly, as Richard kissed her back. It was the first time she had initiated a kiss with him in years.


	5. You forgave and I won't forget

Anne looked up from her laptop and rubbed her temples for a moment. She'd fallen behind on her work during the last few weeks. She couldn't help but smile as she remembered the reasons she'd been distracted from work. She glanced over at Richard, who was sitting on the other side of the room, his own laptop open, and he too was working. How easily they'd fallen back into their old routines. Each of them quietly passing the evening working on their respective projects. Oh, Anne knew she could easily distract him. She could walk over, wrap her arms around Richard's neck, kiss him, and oh she knew he'd forget his work in an instant. He always had. But truthfully, she was too engrossed in her own work to want to do that. 

Anne was completely fascinated by the letters, completely drawn into them, and wanting so badly to know more. From what she'd read, it was clear the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester had never intended for anyone to read these letters. They were much, much too intimate to have ever been meant for anyone's eyes but their own. Almost none of the letters were formal, there was an easy intimacy apparent in them, which spoke of a deep and passionate love. 

Glancing across the room at her own Richard, Anne felt she could well understand the 15th century Duchess' apparent fascination with her Duke. In the letters, the Duchess had written of her enjoyment of watching her husband while he was at work. She'd written of watching his hands as he'd written or signed correspondence, and listening in as he'd spoken with tenants and the other barons of the North. From the letters Anne was starting to believe the marriage of the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester had been a marriage of equals, they had been partners, confidants, and clearly they had been lovers. 

Anne almost jumped as she felt Richard's hands on her shoulders. "Sorry, it was not my intention to startle you." He said softly. 

Anne laughed softly. "No worries." She murmured, she leaned back into his touch. 

"You have been quite engrossed in your work tonight." He said softly. 

Anne moved a little on the couch, to give him room to sit. "Look at this." She pulled up the scan of the letter she'd been transcribing. 

Richard squinted as he looked at the screen. "Sweetheart, you realize I cannot read medieval script." He laughed softly. 

Laughing softly, Anne pulled up the transcription of the letter. "I have no idea why not, it's not that difficult." She joked. 

"For the woman who has been reading medieval script since she was eighteen, perhaps not." Richard said softly as he started to read the letter. It had been written by the Duchess of Gloucester, while she'd been in confinement awaiting the birth of their first child. Clearly, she had missed her husband's presence quite a bit to be writing him when she was only in another part of the castle. Richard leaned back once he'd finished. "Fascinating." He said softly. 

Anne turned to look at him. "Isn't it?" She smiled softly. "She called herself the most fortunate of wives. Clearly, she loved him." 

Richard kissed her neck. "Yes, that much is clear." 

Anne sighed very softly, clearly Richard was finished with working for the night. She watched as he saved her word document, and then shut down her laptop. She closed her eyes, moaning softly as she felt his hands go under her shirt and start to gently stroke her skin. "Richard." She murmured. 

"Hmmmm?" He asked her softly. 

"Bed." She said softly. 

Later, Anne lay sleepily in Richard's arms. She could tell by his breathing that he'd fallen asleep. But sleep seemed to be alluding her that night. There was so much on her mind, their relationship for one thing. She'd finally admitted to herself that she still loved him. Oh, she'd likely never stopped loving him, the love had just been buried under the pain he'd caused. The truth was, she felt so much better since he was back in her life, so much more complete than she'd felt since he'd left it. She wasn't certain what to make of that. She knew most women she knew would scoff at the idea of a man making her feel complete, and there was a huge part of her that felt that way. Yet, she also knew she felt more settled than she had in years. The only thing was she was almost afraid to tell him. Perhaps part of her thought admitting she loved Richard would open herself up to more pain. 

She wasn't certain when she'd dozed off, but Anne soon found herself asleep and dreaming. She recognized she was at a castle, or rather the ruins of a castle. Middleham Castle to be precise. Many years ago, when they'd first been dating, she and Richard had visited. Strangely enough, it had almost felt like coming home to her, yet she'd never returned. In her dream, Anne wandered around the ruins of the castle, and as she turned a corner suddenly the castle was not ruins anymore. She was standing in a warm, cozy solar. Somehow she was not surprised when a woman wearing 15th century dress stood and came towards her. 

"It is wonderful to finally meet my 21st century counterpart." The other woman was saying. 

"You are Anne Neville." She found herself blinking, wondering if she would wake up soon. 

"And so are you." The Duchess of Gloucester smiled. "Or rather Anne Neville-York." She laughed softly. 

"Yes, I am." Anne nodded. 

"I am glad the letters have been found. It was time, and you will do them, and us justice." She said softly. 

"I hope I do." Anne murmured. "Your husband has been too much maligned over the centuries." 

The Duchess of Gloucester smiled sadly. "The victor writes the history, as you realize, and when you have little tangible right to the throne, then you must malign those who came before you." She then sighed softly. "But that is not why we need to converse." 

Anne smiled. "Just what do we need to talk about?" 

"You have knowledge of the concept of soulmates?" The Duchess of Gloucester asked, moving back towards her chair near the fire. 

Anne followed her to the other chair. "Yes of course." She nodded. 

"And do you believe?" She asked as she straightened her skirts. 

"I would like to think there are soulmates." Anne replied. 

The Duchess smiled softly. "Oh there are." She said softly. "You and your husband for example." 

"Husband, but Richard..." Anne said immediately. 

"You think a simple slip of paper eradicated everything. Oh, no of course not. You are still soulmates." 

After a moment, Anne nodded. "And you and your Richard."

"One and the same." The Duchess replied. "And there's more."

"More?" Anne questioned. 

"Reincarnation." The Duchess of Gloucester said softly. 

Anne stared at her for a long moment. "You are saying that...."

"You are a reincarnation of me, and your Richard is a reincarnation of mine. Yes." The Duchess nodded. 

"But..."

"Why have our souls returned to earth?" She smiled in understanding. 

"Exactly." Anne nodded. 

"Soulmates are destined to live long lives together. We did not." She said softly. "And at the end, we had pushed each other away in our grief." 

"Just as....we did." Anne murmured. 

"Precisely." The Duchess of Gloucester nodded. "The difference is you have a second chance. We did not." 

"And what if we..." Anne said softly. 

"You will mess nothing up." She promised softly. "But some advice for you." 

"What is that?" Anne asked. 

"A soulmate needs to know desperately he is loved. Certainly you remember what it is like to doubt that love?" The Duchess of Gloucester said softly. 

Anne blushed. "Yes."

"Tell him." She said softly, just the hint of royal command in her voice. "Tell your Richard that you love him, and you've forgiven him, because he needs that more than anything." 

Before Anne could reply, she could feel herself awakening. She gasped softly, blinking her eyes. 

"Anne?" Richard said softly, as he heard her gasp. 

She turned towards him. "Richard..."

"Shhhh." He said softly, immediately thinking she'd had a nightmare. "Just a dream." 

She snuggled close. "I love you." She murmured. 

Richard looked up at her. "What?" He said softly. 

"I love you, and I forgive you." Anne murmured, reaching out to stroke his hair. 

Richard raised up so he could look at her. "You have made me...." He kissed her deeply. 

Anne sighed very softly, relaxing in his embrace. She realized then that his kisses felt different, as if he were more sure now, more sure of her, and of them. She wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him close. There was no doubt in her mind that in his arms was where she was always meant to be.


	6. Sometimes You Would Carry Me

Anne snuggled under the covers, it was Saturday morning, and she certainly did not want to get up yet. She moved her arm, searching for Richard, and was quite surprised to find the space empty. Sighing softly, she opened up her eyes. Soon, her senses were assaulted by the smell of cinnamon, and she realized just exactly what Richard was likely doing. She pushed the covers back to go to the bathroom for a moment, hopefully she could be back in bed before he came in with the breakfast tray. Getting back into the bed, she closed her eyes, and it was not long until Anne had dozed off again. 

When Richard came back into the bedroom, he found Anne sleeping. He sat the tray down on the bed, and sat down next to her. He reached down and gently brushed her hair back. He smiled as she stirred just slightly. Leaning down, he gently kissed her forehead. Richard could not help but smile when she still did not stir. He sighed very softly, kissing her cheeks, then her chin, then finally he lightly kissed her lips. He was not surprised at all when Anne gently kissed him back. 

"Ah, you're awake." He murmured. 

"Yes." Anne laughed sleepily, she'd been just about to fall back asleep when he came in. 

"Breakfast?" Richard asked softly. 

Anne moved to sit up. "What have you made?" She asked softly. 

"French toasts, eggs, and bacon." He murmured. 

Anne laughed softly. "Hopefully you will be eating too." 

"Of course." Richard nodded, sitting the tray in front of her. He served her the French toast, eggs, and a few slices of bacon.

Anne smiled, and started to eat. This had always been one of their favorite days, a lazy Saturday, breakfast in bed. perhaps not getting up until the afternoon. She'd honestly forgotten how much she'd missed times like this. 

"Plans for today?" Richard asked softly. 

Anne laughed just a bit. "Only much neglected work." She was still working on the letters. Since her encounter with the historical Anne Neville, she'd been a bit reluctant to read them. She found it quite strange to realize she'd written a lot of the letters, and been the receiver of the others. Not to mention, although she believed it, she found the entire reincarnation idea to be rather strange as well. 

"We both have been neglecting work." Richard replied. 

She glanced up at him. "You've been fortunate Parliament has not be in session." 

"Ah." He nodded. "But next month, it will be." 

She smiled. "Summer is almost over." She said softly. 

He leaned over and kissed her shoulder. "And you actually sound sad about that." He said softly. 

She laughed softly, and looked up at him. "You act as if that were a strange thing." 

"You have always looked forward to autumn, to new university sessions, to new classes. Now you cannot tell me you are not looking forward to those." 

"Well." She said softly. "Yes, that's true." 

"But?" He said softly. 

"This summer has been special." She said softly. 

"Because of us." He murmured. 

"Yes." Anne replied. She was not at all surprised when he moved the tray from the bed. She sat up, and honestly she was not certain who kissed whom first. With a soft sigh, she wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"Work can wait just awhile longer." Richard murmured. 

"Yes, it can." She said softly, laying back and pulling him down with her. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anne sat her laptop on the bed, and a bottle of water on the nightstand next to her. She glanced over at Richard who was still sleeping. She'd slipped on one of his shirts, and considering how insatiable he'd been since she'd confessed her love, she doubted she would be wearing it long once he awakened. Meanwhile, thought she would work. 

She opened the file, while contained the transcripts of the letters. She'd ended, last time, with a letter written by Richard, Duke of Gloucester. When she'd held the original letters, she'd found something very strange about it, there had been no wax seal on it. Which clearly meant the letter had not been sent. Given the contents of the letter, she liked to think Richard had left it on the pillow for his wife before leaving for court. 

_Dearest wife,_

_Please know this departure is not of my choosing. I would choose to stay with you, but alas duty to my King calls. Please take care of yourself, and the child who is nestled within your womb, for both are very precious to me._

_Your devoted husband,_

_Richard Gloucestre._

The next letter in the files was from Anne, and dated August 1473, the contents of the letter made it clear Richard had been called to court. 

_Most beloved husband,_

_I trust and pray this missive finds you well. Please be assured that both I and the child are well. You are much missed by both of us. Our child kicks strongly, and certainly you remember how he would at your touch. I pray, beloved, that Parliament will adjourn soon, and you will hasten home to us._

_Your devoted wife,_

_Anne Neville_

Anne took her glasses off for a moment. She always found it interesting that her historical counterpart always signed her letters as Anne Neville, never Anne Gloucetre as Richard did. Clearly Anne had identified strongly with her family and her identity as a Neville. She did wonder what the historical Richard had thought of his wife not using his name. 

Anne lay back, closing her eyes, and as her eyes closed, she immediately realized she was finding herself at Middleham again. She blinked, this time it seemed she was seeing everything through the eyes of the historical Anne. 

_It seemed to Anne as if it was taking her entirely too long to walk to the Great Hall. She sighed laying her hand on her stomach. Richard had arrived home, the guards at the gate had signaled his return. She wanted more than anything to go outside to greet him. They way everything seemed though, she would never make it out there._

_They entered the Great Hall at almost exactly the same time. As others of the household were present, Anne started to drop to a curtsy the moment she saw Richard._

_Richard crossed the room swiftly. "Nay, nay." He said softly, taking Anne's hand. "That is not necessary, my lady." He raised her hand to his lips._

_She smiled softly. "Very well, my lord." She murmured. Looking into Richard's eyes, Anne knew instinctively he wanted to be alone, so they could drop the formalities._

_Once the door of Anne's chamber had closed behind them, Richard wrapped his arms around her. "I have missed you, beloved." He murmured._

_Anne smiled softly. "And we have missed you."_

_Richard grinned, dropping to his knees in front of her and kissing her stomach._

_Anne tangled her fingers in his hair. "Come husband, you've had a long ride."_

_Richard sighed as he stood. "That is the truth." He watched as Anne poured him a glass of wine and brought it to him. He nodded his thanks as he took it from her. "Your confinement will begin soon?" He asked softly._

_Anne nodded. "End of the week."_

_Richard sat down the wine glass. "Come here." He murmured, and when Anne moved over to him, he wrapped his arms tightly around her._

Anne felt Richard's hand on her arm, and she woke up with a start. She'd not even realized she'd fallen asleep. She turned her head, on the pillow, looking at him. 

"Are you okay?" He asked softly. 

"Yes..." She said feeling a little confused. 

"You were tossing and turning, like you were having a nightmare." 

A nightmare? No, most certainly not. "No, it was only a dream." She noticed he was dressed. "You've been out." 

He smiled softly. "Yes, you were sleeping so soundly, I couldn't wake you." 

She smiled softly. "Thank you." 

He nodded. "There was something in the mail you need to see." He said softly. 

Anne frowned as Richard gave the letter to her. As she looked at the envelope, she realized it was from the fertility clinic they used before Ned had gotten ill, when they'd been trying to have another baby. She glanced over at him. "The embryos." She said softly. 

"Yes." He nodded. "We need to use them soon." 

Anne nodded after a moment. "What you do want...."

He shook his head. "You are the one who would carry a child. The decision is yours." 

"I will need to think." She said softly. 

"Of course." Richard said softly, pulling her down close to him. 

Anne closed her eyes, and snuggled close. She'd pushed all thoughts of their possible children from her mind years ago, had not allowed herself to think of it at all. Now, she had no idea what to think or feel. She and Richard were back together, she trusted him, everything seemed well. But was she ready to bring another baby into the world? At that moment, she did not know the answer.


	7. If We Could Love Forever, That Won't be Long Enough for Me

For one of the few times in her life, Anne had been sad to see the summer end. She and Richard had spent a wonderful summer together, but now it was time for him to return to Parliament and for her to begin teaching glasses again at Oxford. She would go up to London to spend the weekend with him. Meanwhile, they could talk on the phone, and Skype. And just perhaps, Anne would be able to get a little work done. 

When they had been married, the separations had not bothered Anne that much, after she'd had Ned with her, and Richard had invariably come home almost every weekend. On the weekends he'd not come home, she and Ned had joined him in London. But now, she found the separation to be almost unbearable. Anne wasn't certain what made it so hard to be away from Richard. Perhaps, it was because they'd just gotten back together. Perhaps, it was just natural that she missed him. 

Sometimes though Anne wondered if it was her knowledge of their past life that made her feel this way. The knowledge they were soul mates, had lived and loved before. Honestly, it was something she would have loved to ask the historical Anne Neville. How had she withstood the frequent separations from her Richard? At least Anne knew she would see her Richard in a few days, her historical counterpart would not have been blessed with the knowledge of when she would see her love again. 

Anne had never been so relieved to leave Oxford as she was that particular Friday afternoon. She would stay with Richard until Monday morning. She could not wait to see Richard. Fortunately, the trip was short, within an hour she was in London, and after a short time, she was unlocking the door to Richard's flat. 

Anne looked around the flat, wondering how much had changed. She was quite surprised to find one of their wedding pictures on the mantle. Anne picked it up, studying the picture for a moment. She almost envied her younger self, after all that Anne had not known everything that would be ahead. Anne was so lost in her own thoughts, she'd not heard Richard enter the flat, and when his arms went around her, Anne leaned back against him. 

"You cannot imagine how happy it makes me to have you here." He murmured. 

Anne smiled softly. "Oh, I believe I can." 

Richard gently kissed her neck. "It was a long week." He murmured. 

She nodded. "I was surprised to find this on the mantle." She said softly, as she sat the picture back onto the mantle.

"When I came back to London after talking to you on Ned's birthday, I sat it there." Richard said softly. 

Anne turned in his arms. "Why?" She said softly, wrapping her arms around his neck. She sighed softly, his hair was straight, just as it always was when he attended Parliament, but Anne missed his curls, just as she always did. 

"I wanted a reminder of you, a reminder of us in this flat." Richard said softly. He kissed her forehead. 

"You know what I was thinking while looking at that picture?" She murmured. 

"That you envy that younger version of you, she didn't know the heartache that would come." He said softly, at least that was part of what he thought at times. 

"That's a part of it, yes." Anne nodded. "But the truth is, even though technically we're not married, I've never felt more connected to you than I do now." 

"I thought I was the only one feeling that." He said softly. 

"Not at all." Anne raised up on her toes and kissed him. 

Richard wrapped his arms around her, pulling Anne close as they kissed. He pulled back and kissed her forehead. "Menus are in the kitchen, order something for dinner while I shower."

Anne could not help but grin as Richard came back into the living from, his hair damp and curly from the shower. "I ordered pizza." She smiled. 

Richard laughed softly, as he sat next to her. "You are so quintessentially American sometimes, dearest." He said affectionately. "How long until it is delivered?" He asked softly. 

"Around 15 minutes." Anne replied. 

"Ah, enough time." Richard smiled. 

"For what?" Anne asked softly. 

"This." He leaned in and kissed her. 

Anne groaned softly, her hands immediately going to his hair and tangling in the curls she so loved.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Richard gently stroked Anne's hair as she lay quietly against his chest. She sighed very softly, kissing his shoulder. Richard moved a hand down a bit, stroking her bare back, as she snuggled closer. 

"I was watching you earlier when you were holding the photo." Richard said softly. 

Anne looked up. "And just what were you thinking?" She asked. After all, he'd asked what she was thinking. 

"How beautiful you are." He murmured. 

Anne looked up. "That was all?" She smiled. 

"Ah, you know me too well." He kissed her gently. "The truth is..." He murmured. "I never feel so whole as I do when I am with you." 

Anne smiled softly. "It is the same for me."

He kissed her gently again. "Close your eyes." He murmured. "I have something for you." He said softly. 

Anne nodded, closing her eyes. She felt Richard move and reach into the nightstand. Her breath caught for just a moment, and he took her left hand and she felt him place a ring on her fingers. "Richard..." She murmured. 

"Wait a moment, before you open your eyes." He murmured. "When I asked you to be my wife all those years ago, it was Christmas, snowing, and very romantic." Richard smiled, at least Anne had called it very romantic at the time. "Then I knew I could not imagine my life without you. Now, I ask you again to marry me, knowing that without you in it, my life is empty." 

Anne buried her head against Richard's shoulder. He'd made her cry the first time he'd asked her to marry him, now he was making her cry again. "You made me cry the first time you asked me to marry you, and now you are making me cry again." She murmured. "The answer is yes, Richard, in this lifetime and a thousand more, I will marry you."

Richard smiled softly, his lips seeking Anne's for a deep kiss. She groaned softly, responding, her curiosity over the ring momentarily forgotten. "Anne?" Richard said softly, as she pulled away. 

"If you think I do not want to see this ring." Anne laughed softly, as she held her left hand out to look at the ring. It was an antique diamond and platinum ring, and Anne absolutely loved it. "So beautiful." She murmured. 

"Yes, you are." Richard said very softly. 

Anne looked up, smiling. "This one will not end up in a river." She promised softly. She'd thrown her old engagement ring and wedding band in the river in a fit of anger after Richard had told her he wanted a divorce. 

"You will have no reason to." Richard promised softly, his hand gently stroking her said. 

Anne moved into his arms, and gently kissed him. "Should we not celebrate?" She murmured. 

"Oh, certainly." He murmured. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
 _In her dream, Anne was walking into the living room of her Oxford home. She was quite surprised to see her historical counterpart, Anne Neville, Duchess of Gloucester sitting on the couch. "Your Grace." She smiled._

_The other woman looked up from the couch. "Perhaps I seem as out of place in your world, as you do in mine."_

_Anne could not help but smile at that. "Perhaps. For some reason I generally picture wearing green"_

_She laughed very softly for several moments. "Once, I had a green dress. Richard despised the color on me, and forbade me from ever having another." She grinned. "Was a pity, I quite liked the dress."_

_Anne laughed softly. "What has brought you to visit me?"_

_The Duchess of Gloucester smiled, adjusting the veil of her headress. "The proposal from your Richard amused me greatly." She smiled._

_"Why?" Anne asked._

_"Because, like my Richard, it seemed he did not truly propose." She laughed softly._

_Anne laughed softly. "And what did your Richard do?" She asked._

_The Duchess of Gloucester laughed softly. "Took for granted that we would marry. I told him he was being high handed, and I wanted to be asked." She smirked. "And he asked."_

_Anne laughed. "I wish I remembered."_

_"You do." She replied softly. "The memories are all deep within you."_

_"And my Richard?" Anne asked._

_"The memories are even deeper within him." The Duchess of Gloucester replied._  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
"Anne?" Richard said softly, gently shaking her. He'd awakened, and found she was tossing and turning. 

"Hmmmmm." She said softly, as Richard gently rubbed her arm. She sighed softly, opening her eyes. "Richard?" She said softly. 

"You were tossing and turning." He murmured. "Nightmare?" He asked softly. 

"No...." She shook her head. "Only a dream...." 

"What to talk about it?" He asked softly. 

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." She murmured. 

Richard smiled softly. "Try me." He murmured. 

"You're going to think that I've spent too much time in my research." She murmured. 

"And you're dreaming of Richard III and Anne Neville. Should I be jealous?" Richard asked teasingly. 

Anne laughed softly. "Actually, it's Anne Neville who is in my dreams. She comes to me, tells me things. According to her, you and I are soulmates, as were she and her Richard." 

"Well, that is not too...." 

Anne looked up, debating on whether to tell him. "What?"

"You are my other half." He said simply. 

She smiled softly. "And you are mine." 

"There's more you want to say?" He guessed softly. 

"It's...yes." She nodded. 

"What?" Richard asked softly. 

"Reincarnation." Anne murmured. As soon as she'd said the word, Richard's fingers were under her chin, lifting her face to his. "Reincarnation." She repeated softly. 

"You and I....them...." Richard murmured. 

"Yes." Anne said softly. 

"And you believe it?" He asked, still shocked. 

"She's shown me things, and when I read the letters it is like my subconscious remembers them." Anne said softly. "And then...our separation this week..." 

"What?" He asked softly. 

"It has been as if I could not stand to be away from you." Anne murmured. 

"And I've hated being away from you." He said softly. "Sleeping has been..."

"Difficult." She murmured. 

"Exactly." He said softly. 

"You're believing this aren't you?" He said softly. 

"Yes." Anne said simply. 

"Did you bring any of the letters?" He asked softly. 

Anne shook her head. "No." 

"Bring them next week." He said softly. "I want to read them." 

"I will." She murmured, snuggling close. 

Richard closed his eyes, pulling Anne tightly against him. "Sleep, my love.' He murmured, remembering how much she'd always liked it when he called her love. He lay quietly stroking her hair and back until she'd fallen asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

When Richard woke the next morning, he found Anne standing near the window, looking out. The view from the living room had always been quite spectacular, and had been one of the major selling points of the flat for both of them. 

"You've always loved this flat." Richard said softly. 

Anne laughed very softly. "You're right." She sighed softly, as he wrapped his arms around her. "Good morning." She murmured. 

"Good morning." He said softly. 

Anne leaned back against him. "I almost think I want to stop time." She said softly. 

"Why?" Richard murmured. 

She smiled softly. "We're happy." She said softly. 

"You doubt we'll stay that way?" Richard asked softly. 

Anne was silent for a long moment. "After the last few years..." Anne said softly. 

Richard kissed her shoulder. "We will be happy." He said softly. 

Anne smiled softly. "We do have much to talk about." She said softly. 

"Ah, but should we do that on empty stomachs?" Richard smiled. 

"I don't know, are you planning to cook?" She laughed softly. 

Richard laughed softly. "Tired of your own cooking?" 

"More like tired of take-out." Anne answered softly. 

Richard laughed very softly. "Ah, you're too caught up in work to bother cooking." 

"Exactly." Anne agreed. She sighed, feeling Richard's hands urging her to turn in his arms. 

When Anne turned to face him, Richard gently kissed her. "I know why you came to London." He laughed. 

"And why is that?" Anne laughed softly, tangling her fingers in his hair. 

"You wanted me to cook for you." Richard laughed softly. 

"And the sex." Anne teased softly. "Don't forget the sex." 

Richard pulled her tightly against him. "Oh, there will be more of that later." He promised softly. 

"I'll hold you to that." Anne murmured. 

Richard lightly kissed her. "Omelets?" He suggested softly. 

"That sounds wonderful." Anne murmured. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
That afternoon, they relaxed on the couch, quietly watching TV. Anne was snuggled up against Richard. A historical documentary played on the television. 

"You will be hosting one of these someday." Richard said softly. 

Anne laughed softly. "Oh, you really think so? An American expert on a British documentary." 

"Why not?" Richard shrugged. "Besides, since the discovery in the car park, Richard III is quite popular." He said softly. 

Anne smiled. "Hmmmm, you do have a point. But there are other things..."

"What?" He asked softly. 

Anne looked up at him. "The embryos." She said softly. 

Richard turned to look at her, his eyes soft. "What have you decided?" He asked very softly. 

Anne was quiet for a long moment. "Before Ned became sick, we were so excited, we would stay up at night talking about having a new baby, giving Ned a sibling or siblings." She took a deep breath before continuing. "We've taken months to fully work our way back to each other, and that letter came just as we were completely back. I think it's a sign." 

"A sign?" Richard asked softly, stroking her hair. 

"Yes." She murmured. "A sign that we should try everything again, that we should try the in vitro." 

"You're certain?" Richard asked softly. 

"Yes." She nodded. 

Richard rested his forehead against hers. "There's nothing that would please me more than having another child wiht you." 

Anne smiled softly. "I've made a few plans, I'm sorry I did not consult you first..."

"No need to apologize." Richard murmured. "What are you thinking?"

"A sabbatical next year." She murmured. "Time to write the books, and be pregnant. I've spoken with the clinic, they can hold the embryos until the beginning of December, and do the in vitro then." 

"There's two embryos left, right?" Richard asked softly. They'd tried one in vitro before Ned had become ill, but it had not been successful. 

"Yes." She nodded. "We'll use both." 

Richard kissed her neck. "Everything will be fine." He murmured. 

"I thought it would be best for me to come here to stay." Anne said softly. 

"Yes, of course." Richard murmured. He would have had it no other way, honestly. "Your doctors will be here." 

"And you'll be here to care for me if I end up on bed rest." Or perhaps she should have said when she ended up on bed rest. 

"I will always care for you." Richard said softly, kissing her gently. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Richard sighed softly, sleep was not coming easy to him tonight. He wasn't certain he understand why it was not. Anne lay peacefully against him, her even breathing told him she was fast asleep. December, perhaps at Christmas they would know if Anne was pregnant. Honestly, he wanted another child so badly, and knew Anne did too. 

He wasn't certain when he dozed off, but as Richard started to dream, he found himself in a castle. Somehow, he was not surprised to see the slender, dark haired man look up from the desk. The slight unevenness of his shoulders was not immediately apparent, it was hidden very well by his doublet. Richard knew immediately that the man before him was Richard, Duke of Gloucester, the future Richard III.

"Although, I appear to be only 21, I assure you that I have all of my memories." The Duke of Gloucester, said softly. "Even the less fortunate ones." 

"You do?" Richard found himself asking. How did one talk to the man who was believed by many to be one of the biggest villains in English history. The man who apparently he was a reincarnation of? 

"You wonder if I killed them? My nephews?" The Duke of Gloucester said. 

"Did you?" Richard asked. 

"No." He said immediately. 

Richard nodded, that was good to know at least. "Why am I having this dream." 

"It was time for us to meet." He replied. 

Richard smiled. "Because our wives have?" He called Anne his wife without really thinking. 

There was a ghost of a smile on the Duke of Gloucester's face. "My Anne seems quite taken with your Anne, and with your world." He sighed softly. He knew why of course. 

"Why?" Richard asked. 

He smiled ruefully. "The treatments for a barren womb." He said softly. 

Richard frowned. He knew how tough infertility could be. "You had a son also." 

The Duke of Gloucester nodded. "Ah, but a woman in my day was expected to have many children, and my Anne had miscarriage after miscarriage before I took the crown." 

Richard nodded his understanding. 

After a moment of silence, the Duke continued. "But that is not the reason you are here." 

"Why am I here?" He asked softly. 

"You doubt the reincarnation?" The Duke of Gloucester asked. 

"Not now." Richard laughed softly. 

"We will meet again." The Duke of Gloucester said softly. 

"Will we?" Richard asked. 

"When you have need of my advice." He could not help but smirk as he spoke. 

As Richard woke, he could feel Anne's soft hands on his arm. "Richard?" She murmured. 

"Hmmmm?" He said softly. 

"You were tossing and turning." She said softly. "You've dreamt of them too, haven't you?" 

"Yes." He said softly, still trying to wrap his mind around all of it. 

"What happened?" Anne asked softly. 

"We discussed...." He laughed softly at the absurdity of it. "Our respective wives, and that I will see him again when I am in need of his advice." Honestly, it all had been strange. 

Anne kissed his shoulder. "Strange." She snuggled close to him. 

"Indeed." He murmured, pulling her close. He sighed softly

Anne gently kissed his neck. Her hands moving down to his chest. 

"Anne." Richard murmured softly. 

"Come here." She murmured. 

Richard moved gratefully into her arms. He wrapped his arms around Anne, kissing her deeply. He sighed softly, as Anne's hands moved over his body. This was what was real, this was what he would focus upon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone wonders what their London flat looks like, here's a link. 
> 
> http://www.christiesrealestate.com/eng/sales/detail/170-l-78318-f1308272118700006/imperial-wharf-lensbury-avenue-fulham-london-sw6-fulham-london-en


	9. Chapter 9

The month of September absolutely seemed to fly, and soon it was October. For years it had amused Anne that she had been born on the same day as Richard III, and it had never amused her more than this year. 

When she had visited Richard in London over the weekend, he'd said nothing about her birthday, so she imagined he was planning something for the coming weekend. Probably a nice dinner out on Friday or Saturday night. 

Her birthday fell in the middle of the week though, and she planned a quiet evening at home. Several of her colleagues had wished her a Happy Birthday, and there had a dozen roses from Richard delivered to her office, so that was certainly enough for her. 

She sat down on the couch in her office that night, a bowl of her favorite ice cream, mint chocolate chip, next to her. Anne was planning a normal Wednesday evening at home, working on the letters. She expected Richard would call her at some point during the evening. She'd texted her thanks to him for the flowers, but oddly he'd not texted her back yet. 

Nearly forty-five minutes later, the phone startled her. Anne knew immediately it was Richard, of course. She'd long ago assigned a ringtone to him. 

"Hello." She said softly, as she answered. 

"Happy Birthday, sweetheart." He said softly. 

Anne laughed softly. "Thank you." 

"I trust it has been a good day?" He asked softly. 

"Quite good." She smiled. Hearing his voice, Anne realized how much she missed him. "The flowers are lovely, they're still in my office." 

"You didn't bring any home with you?" He laughed. 

She laughed softly. "No, I forgot." 

He laughed softly. "Why doesn't that surprise me?" 

"Well....." She laughed softly. "Someone isn't here to make sure plants are watered." 

"Ah, and your research assistants can water the flowers for you at the university." 

"Exactly, one might think you know me, just a little, Richard." She couldn't help but grin. 

He laughed softly. "As I know you, Anne, I have a suggestion." 

"What might that be?" She grinned. 

"Go open the door." He said softly. 

Anne sat her bowl of ice cream aside, and went to the door. 

Richard grinned, as she opened the door. "Hello, Anne." He said as she stepped outside. 

Anne squealed as she saw Richard standing in the garden. She moved quickly into his arms. 

Richard held her close against him. "Happy Birthday, love." He murmured against her hair. 

She smiled softly. "I am so glad you are here." 

He smiled softly, as they went into the house. "Oh, not as glad as you will be, I assure you."

Anne could not help but tease him. "You came an hour by train for a booty call, Richard?" She could barely contain her laughter. 

"I came an hour by train to celebrate my love's birthday. Now yes..." He said softly, backing her against the wall and kissing her. "Yes, my idea of celebrating involves, you and I and the bed." He kissed her deeply. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Anne woke up alone the next morning, and for just a moment she wondered if she'd dreamed Richard's presence. But the smells coming into the bedroom from the kitchen, and her own state of undress quickly told her it had certainly not been a dream. 

She knew he would likely want to surprise her with breakfast in bed, so she got up for a moment, brushed her teeth, and then came back to bed. She pulled the covers back up around her shoulders, sighing softly. He had certainly surprised her last night. 

When Richard came back into the bedroom, he found Anne asleep, her head resting against his pillow. He smiled softly to himself, knowing she'd probably brushed her teeth and then come back to bed. He sat the tray down on the bed, and then moved to wake her. 

The moment Anne felt Richard start to kiss her, she couldn't help but sigh. She wondered how she could have forgotten exactly how romantic he could be. Sometimes, it was like he was her own personal Mr. Darcy or Mr. Thornton. As that thought crossed her mind, she could not help but giggle. 

Richard looked up at her, and grinned. "What is so funny?" He laughed softly. 

"I found myself wondering how I could have forgotten how romantic you can be." Anne laughed again as she pushed herself into sitting up. 

"And that was funny?" He raised an eyebrow. 

"No, but thinking you are my own personal Mr. Darcy or Mr. Thornton, certainly was." She started to laugh again. 

"You realize both Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell have a lot to answer for?" He said evenly. 

"And what might that be?" Anne asked, as he sat the breakfast tray in front of her. She glanced at the eggs, bacon, and waffles, and smiled. He certainly remembered her favorites well. 

"Making generations of women think English men are brooding heroes." Richard laughed. 

"Oh you mean you aren't?" She laughed softly. 

"Hush." Richard said softly, leaning in and kissing her. 

Anne sighed softly, wrapping her arms around his neck as they kissed. After a moment, he pulled back. 

"Eat your breakfast. You have to go to work." Richard said softly. 

"And you have to go back to London." Anne said as she started to eat. 

"No." He shook his head. "How does five days together sound?" 

Anne grinned. "Heavenly." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
 _He stood near the fire, letting the warmth sink in, even after five centuries, it still amazed him that his back did not ache has it had in life. After a moment, he felt a small hand on his waist, and Anne's face pressing against his spine. He reached down and took her hand into his._

_"You were right." Richard murmured._

_"About what dearest?" She asked softly._

_"Our 21st century counterparts, they are rather adorable together. That was the word you used, correct?"_

_She smiled softly. "Yes, and of course they are adorable."_

_He laughed softly. "I do wonder, what she meant by Mr. Darcy and Mr. Thornton." He mused._

_Anne laughed softly. "Allow me to show you." She took him over to her bookshelves. While his were full of history and scientific advances, Anne's shelves were full of novels. She reached up and took two from the shelf. "Here." She said softly, handing them to him._

_He looked dubiously down at them. "You do remember the last time you gave me a book it was the play about the star-crossed lovers by that horrible Shakespeare man."_

_Anne laughed softly. "And these are much better."_

_Richard sat the books aside, and wrapped his arms around her. As he pulled her close, he murmured. "Someone should have reminded them it was Wednesday though."_

_Anne burst out laughing. "Have you become a voyeur?"_

_"Of course not! They were kissing, and it was obvious..." He stopped as she continued laughing. "You are having entirely too much fun with this."_

_Anne was still laughing as she reply. "They do not live under the same Church laws we lived under, and disobeyed."_

_"Hmmmmm." He said softly. Yes, he could remember they had disobeyed those things frequently, especially in the early years of their marriage when he was often gone. There were times he wondered how differently things might have turned out had he been home more._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Friday night found Anne relaxing on the couch, her head pillowed in Richard's lap, as he flipped the channels on the TV.

"Oh look, it's your favorite pseudo-historian." He laughed softly, as he stopped on one of the channels for a moment. 

Anne opened her eyes, and then rolled them the moment she saw who was on the screen. "If you know what is good for you, then you'll change the channel, Richard." 

Richard laughed softly, changing the channel. "Nice to see some things never change." 

Anne opened her eyes again and looked up at him. "Oh, my dislike of her will never change." 

He laughed softly. Teasing Anne over her dislike of this particular author was one of his favorite things. He reached down and took her hand, playing with the engagement ring. "How is the dress shopping coming?" 

She looked up again. "I believe I found a dress a few days ago." 

"Ah, and can it be ready by mid-November?" He asked softly. 

"The long weekend?" She asked softly. 

"Exactly." Richard replied softly. 

She smiled softly, knowing the dress was already in her closet. "Yes, it can be. "

"Wonderful." He grinned. 

"And just what you do you plan?" Anne asked softly, as his fingers slipped under the hem of her shirt. 

Richard smiled softly as his fingers drew patterns on her skin. "A surprise." 

She sighed softly and closed her eyes as his fingers moved higher on her body. She knew it was unlikely she would get Richard to tell her. But in November, she would be his wife again. Legally, and that was enough for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry it has taken me so long to update this one, but the muse was not working well for me with this story. 
> 
> An explanation of one thing, during Medieval times, the Church governed when people were supposed to have sex, and Wednesday seems to be a day one wasn't supposed to have sex. Here's a nice handy little chart which I found on tumblr. 
> 
> http://grand-duchessa.tumblr.com/post/75219474985/shredsandpatches-magpieandwhale
> 
> Personally, I found that rather funny. 
> 
> I hope to update Choice and Raindrops before the Olympics begin on Thursday.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope that you enjoy my first attempt at a modern A/U. A little explanation of my modern Richard and Anne. 
> 
> Anne is a historian and teaches at a university. As stated in the story, she's American, but has an English mother. 
> 
> Richard is a lawyer, and a rising Labour party politician. 
> 
> They met at university and married.


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